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Premature babies born in big hospitals 'more likely to survive'
Premature babies born in larger hospitals are more likely to survive than those born in smaller ones, according to a new study.
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Premature babies 'less likely to die' in high-volume units
A study into neonatal care examined data concerning more than 20,000 premature babies born at 165 NHS neonatal units in England between January 2009 and December 2011.
Of these:
- Almost 18,000 were born when the mother was 27-32 weeks pregnant
- The rest were born before 27 weeks.
Infants were less likely to die if they were admitted to a high-volume neonatal unit at the hospital where they were born, the scientists claimed.
Premature babies 'more likely to survive' in big hospitals
Premature babies born in larger hospitals are more likely to survive than those born in smaller ones, according to a new study.
Children born before 33 weeks of pregnancy are 30% less likely to die if they are born in units treating large numbers of premature babies, researchers said.
When it comes to extremely premature babies - those born before 27 weeks - the figure rises to 50%.
Researchers from the University of Warwick, University College London, the University of Westminster and Imperial College London said that health bosses should consider the findings when developing services for newborns in the future.